GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

Otago Witness, Issue 3494, 22 February 1921, Page 5

GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

FARMER KILLS HIS SON. AUCKLAND. February 15. The second murder charge in the criminal sessions calendar was taken to-day before Mr Justice Stringer and a jury at the Supreme Court, when Thomas Needham, an elderly farmer, was tried on a charge of having murdered his son, William Rawlins Need flam, aged 17, on January 16. Mr Meredith (Crown Prosecutor) appeared for the Crown, and the defence was conducted by Aiessrs Eudean and Huband. A pica of not guilty was tendered. Air Meredith said that accused made a savage attack on the lad. practically battering his skull to bits. The tragedy took place on accused’s farm at Marohemo, at which there were living accused, his wife, two daughters, the deceased son, and a lady visitor. Counsel said that after the attack accused asked one of his daughters to shoot him, and later he cut his throat and jumped into a well. He climbed out again, and a neighbour persuaded him to go to bed. "Billie swore at me” was the statement Needham asterwards made to his daughter when she asked why he had made the attack, continued counsel. Then accused added: “I am sorry, girl, that I have brought you to this. Give me some poison.” Winifred Edna Needham, 20 years of age, said that during milking or: tlie morning of the occurrence her father (the accused) exclaimed to her brother, '" You little --—, we won’t get finished this morning. You are a lot of a.” Later, when her father and her brother were in the separating room she suddenly heard accused shout, “ Down you . I have got you at last,” and he shrieked and Veiled and hissed. Witness rushed in, and saw her brother on tlie floor with a gash on his head and her father striking him with a long weapon. Witness yelled until those in the house heard. She returned to t: e separating room, where she saw her brother’s head had "been battered about. Her father had gone out, and she put her apron under the boy’s head as he was still breathing. Accused wept during part of his daughter’s evidence. Crossexamined, the girl said her father was 66 years of a -e. .She had heard that at the a e of 11, in England, her father fell from a tree, severely cutting his face, and he had also suffered from sunstroke at the age oE 29. About three years ago he had received a blow on the head from a shackle pin. At times her father was far from normal, and his behaviour and conduct had been such that one member of the family thought he should be examined by a doctor. Before Christinas lie was actually sent to town to be examined by a doctor, but he went to a chemist’s instead. After further evidence the ease for the defence was taken. Air Endean, addressing tiie jury, said that medical evidence would be given as to accused’s mental condition, and even if it were not accepted it was open to the jury to say that there had been sufficient provocation to deprive an ordinary man of Ids self-control. Such a finding would reduce the charge to one of manslaughter. Mrs Needham, accused's wife, said she had been married nearly 46 years. Her husband suffered from irritability and delusions. She corroborated her daughter’s statements as to his strange conduct. Three doctors were called, and stated that in their opinion accused was subject to fits of insanity. The prosecution called three doctors, who gave evidence in rebuttal. After a retirement of one and a-half hours the jury returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter, with a strong recommendation to mercy on account of accused’s age and temperament. Sentence was deferred.